People

Rod is a Senior Sociology/Anthropology major from Bixby, Oklahoma. He realized he was interested in food as more than just a consumer on a service trip this February, where he learned about the importance of sustainable food while staying with an Ecovillage. He is particularly concerned about the social inequalities that arise when people are alienated from the source of their food, so he hopes to learn more about food systems and teach others through with his work as the garden manager at Bellarmine University. He expects to spend most of his free time cycling and hiking, although his grad school ambitions may dictate otherwise.

Meridith is a rising Senior from Rutland, Vermont studying English and American Literature and Film and Media Culture. This summer, she is alternating her time between working as an archivist intern at The Berry Center and helping at A Place on Earth CSA Farm in Louisville. Having grown up amidst the sustainable food practices of Vermont, she is excited to extend her knowledge of food systems and policy by participating in FoodWorks. “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” is one of her guiding lights and she hopes that archiving and studying the works of Wendell Berry and his family, while also getting her hands in the dirt, will bring her one step closer to understanding the practicality and necessity of sustainability/enlightenment.

Mandy is a rising senior from Seattle, Washington and is majoring in Spanish and minoring in Psychology. She chose to do FoodWorks this summer because she finds peoples’ relationships with food fascinating and believes it is a powerful way to understand a person and his/her culture. In addition, she wanted to try something new, learn more about sustainability, accessibility to food, and sustainability and accessibility in different communities. Mandy loves to eat and try new foods – in fact, she cannot think of a vegetable or fruit that she absolutely dislikes.

Maggie Danna (’16.5) is from the Adirondacks in upstate New York and is very excited to be in Louisville this summer. She’s interning at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens and is an environmental studies and anthropology/sociology major. Growing up with a small family vegetable garden, she’s always had a love for food and plants. Maggie’s interested in exploring a more natural approach to food production and is excited to work with volunteers at Yew Dell and explore Louisville.

Cathy (’16) comes from Shenzhen, China. She is an Economics major and is interested in environmental conservation and sustainable food and agriculture. She wants to join Brown-Forman Corporation because she is greatly impressed by its role as a leader in implementing sustainable business practices, such as the Brown-Forman environmental sustainability foundation and its Live Well corporate wellness brand. She looks forward to having an exciting, fun and rewarding experience this summer at Louisville!

Carlyn is a rising Junior (2016) English major at Middlebury College from Saint Louis, Missouri. She is very excited to share her love of food and dirt this summer at Bernheim Arboretum in Kentucky. She is looking forward to helping with Bernheim’s Edible Garden and understanding what Louisville is doing as a leader in the local food movement.

My name is Beam. I’m from Thailand. Right now, I am majoring in Environmental Studies with a Policy focus. This summer, I will work in St. Francis School’s school garden. Through my position I hope to learn more about farming and teaching kids in this area. I also hope to learn more about how produces go through the process and eventually get on our plates.

Hi! My name is Abby Cheskis, and over the past two years I have started to learn about and question the current industrial food system. I’m from Westchester, New York and I’m studying environmental studies and psychology, with the hope that this link will enable me to gain a new perspective in regards to the food system, particularly in relation to climate change. Although I’m technically in the class of 2016, I just took a gap year and am transferring colleges, so I will be graduating in 2017. When I heard about FoodWorks, I knew that it would be a great way for me to further my academic learning about the food system, as well as gain experience working with organizations which are promoting change. I’m really looking forward to learning about and becoming a part of Louisville’s food community, as well as getting to know the other interns. It’s going to be an awesome summer!